The projects submitted to our Save My Oceans contest were innovative and inspirational and were all great examples of the brilliant ways our readers reuse plastics. Each day this week, we’ll highlight one of our top five entries, and we’ll announce the Grand prize winner next Monday. Be sure to check out the entire Save My Oceans Flickr pool for even more great projects.Upcycled Plastic Hairclips from Emily Goodrich.

These hair clips are made from fused, recycled plastic shopping bags that are cut into petal shapes and then hand-stitched to wire. They are inspired by lilies, and also incorporate vintage beads and beads from broken costume jewelry as the stamen of the flower.

Project Inspiration:

I’ve always loved flowers, and have been really intrigued by the challenge of working with recyclables in a way that really surprises people. I want people to know that taking care of the planet and reusing materials doesn’t have to be limited to kitschy craft projects (which are still wonderful), but to bring the conversation into fashion all over the country.